'Chicago Fire' Cast Then and Now: Taylor Kinney returns to hit NBC drama after nearly one-year hiatus
'Chicago Fire' cast Then and Now
'Chicago Fire' Season 12 is all set to premiere on NBC. When 'Chicago Fire' premiered in 2012, few could have imagined that it would become one of the most popular TV series and inspire a lengthy franchise that included the short-lived 'Chicago Justice,' 'Chicago PD,' and 'Chicago Med' spinoffs. Taylor Kinney made his TV debut in Season 12 after quitting on February 22, 2023. More than ten years have passed since Severide (Taylor Kinney), Casey (Jesse Spencer), Boden (Eamonn Walker), and the other members of the squad were initially introduced to ChiHards.
Taylor Kinney (Lieutenant Kelly Severide)
The captivating Lieutenant Kelly Severide is portrayed by Taylor Kinney. Following 'Chicago Fire's 2012 premiere, Kinney has starred in thrillers like 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'The Forest,' along with the comedy 'The Other Woman' and 'Rock the Kasbah'. Moreover, Kinney had extended cameo roles on the 'Chicago' spinoffs 'Chicago PD' and 'Chicago Med.' Due to a "personal matter," he left the show halfway through Season 11, but returned for Season 12. In 2022, Kinney started dating model, Ashley Cruger, per Entertainment Weekly.
Jesse Spencer (Captain Matt Casey)
Captain Matt Casey was portrayed by Jesse Spencer as a tough, second-in-commander. Before 'Chicago Fire,' Casey was most recognized to American viewers as Dr Robert Chase on the popular Fox medical drama 'House.' Following his 2012 recruitment to Firehouse 51, Spencer has appeared as a guest on the spinoffs 'Chicago PD' and 'Chicago Med.' He left 'Chicago' on the 200th episode of the show in 2021, having spent nearly nine years in the franchise, but he has since returned on a few occasions in Seasons 10 and 11. In 2020, Spencer married neuroscientist, Dr Kali Woodruff Carr.
Monica Raymund (Gabriela Dawson)
Monica Raymund gave life to paramedic-turned-firefighter Gabriela Dawson. Raymond left the show in 2017 after season six but returned for two more episodes in seasons seven and eight. She took Dawson to the franchise spinoffs 'Chicago PD' and 'Chicago Med.' During her tenure on the show, she was also featured in the drama 'Brahim Bulls.' Raymund was married to writer Neil Patrick Stewart from 2011 to 2014. The openly bisexual Raymund was also romantically involved with cinematographer, Tari Segal.
Eamonn Walker (Wallace Boden)
Deputy District Chief Wallace Boden, a veteran of the Chicago Fire Department, is portrayed by Eamonn Walker. Walker was a seasoned TV actor in his home England during the 1980s before appearing as Kareem Said on HBO's prison drama 'Oz' in 1997. Walker is the first Black actor to play Othello's title role at the Globe Theater. He made his Broadway debut in a production of 'Julius Caesar' in 2005, opposite Denzel Washington. Before 'Chicago Fire' happened in 2012, he performed on the Fox series 'Justice' from 2006 to 2007.
David Eigenberg (Christopher Herrmann)
David Eigenberg portrays Christopher Herrmann, the father figure in Firehouse 51. Eigenberg has been quite busy since taking over Herrmann's responsibilities. He appeared as screenwriter Ernest Lehman in the Lifetime film 'Liz & Dick,' starring Lindsay Lohan, and has appeared as a guest on multiple episodes of 'One Chicago.' In addition, he has returned to New York City for the Max spinoff 'And Just Like That.' Eigenberg and his wife, Chrysti, share two children, Louie Steven and Myrna Belle.
Christian Stolte (Randall 'Mouch' McHolland)
Christian Stolte portrays Randall 'Mouch' McHolland, a union representative. In addition to starring in 'Chicago Fire' and its sister series for a decade and more, Stolte has acted in the 2020 film 'Rain Beau’s End' and the 2023 feature 'The Unseen.' He co-starred with Joe Minoso and Eamonn Walker from 'Chicago Fire' in Monica Raymund's short film 'Hidden Tears: Tanya,' and he also on 'Boyband' with David Eigenberg and Yuri Sardarov.
Yuri Sardarov (Brian 'Otis' Zvonecek)
Yuri Sardarov played the role of the witty fire truck driver, Brian 'Otis' Zvonecek. Before joining 'Chicago Fire,' Sardarov was a newbie to the entertainment world. Since then, he has made appearances in the drama 'Adam' (2020) alongside Aaron Paul and the mockumentary series 'Boyband' (2016) with castmate David Eigenberg. After departing from 'Chicago Fire' after the eighth season premiere, he has made a comeback to the realm of network procedurals by appearing in guest roles on 'The Rookie' and 'FBI: International.'
Joe Minoso (Joe Cruz)
Joe Cruz is portrayed by Joe Minoso as a devoted firefighter and Zumba instructor. Minoso performed on stage in the Chicago region and served as Teatro Vista's associate artistic director before joining the Firehouse 51 crew. Since the 2012 premiere of 'Chicago Fire', Minoso has collaborated with his co-stars on 'Boyband,' 'Hidden Tears: Tanya,' 'Chicago PD,' and 'Chicago Med.' Minoso has been married to 'Chicago Fire' make-up artist Caitlin Murphy Miles since 2016.
Miranda Rae Mayo (Stella Kidd)
'Chicago Fire' cast member Miranda Rae Mayo is the brave firefighter Stella Kidd in Season 4. Before moving to 'Chicago Fire' in 2016 to drive Truck 81, she became a series regular with Don Johnson on the short-lived ABC drama 'Blood & Oil.' Although her role in the Chicago production has kept her occupied with acting, Mayo also serves on the board of the Holistic Life Foundation, an organization dedicated to promoting wellness in marginalized communities through mindful meditation and yoga.
Kara Killmer (Sylvie Brett)
Kara Killmer appeared as Sylvie Brett in Season 3 as an initially naive runaway bride who later became a paramedic. Following her role in 'Chicago Fire,' Killmer starred in the historical action drama 'Beyond the Mask,' and co-starred with Christian Stolte and Monica Raymund in the comedy series 'Special Skills.' She also made appearances in the 2018 TV thriller 'Sleeper' and reunited with her former 'Chicago Fire' lover Jon Seda in the short film 'The Follower.' In Season 12, Killmer will say goodbye to 'Chicago Fire,' as EW reported in November 2023. Killmer married her 'Beyond the Mask' co-star Andrew Cheney in 2016.
